Fundraising update
Dr Nicky would like to thank everyone that donated to her charity half marathon. She has been working with the RAC saddle club over the past 6 months to make a careful decision, as to how best to spend the money raised. Due to the generous donations received, enough money was raised to erect a log cabin at the riding stables. This will provide a much needed private space to be able to work with the young people who need support.
Yes we did it!! A big thank you for all your support and donations. We completed the run in 1 hour 45 minutes.
Dr Nicky Dawson: My story and how the RAC Saddle Club has helped us as a family.
A year ago my daughter, Josie, became seriously unwell with Anorexia Nervosa. At the time she was a Trampoline Gymnast for Great Britain. She had to give up all sport and was even restricted to only being able to stand for short periods of time. We opted to follow family-based therapy and to avoid hospital admission. This meant I had to give her continuous close support and treatment at home. I still had to take her sister to ride and look after her horse daily, so Josie came with us. During our visits to the stables (RAC Saddle Club), Josie developed a connection with a pony called Rosie. Over time, with support and encouragement from the staff at the yard, slowly Josie began to get better. As she grew stronger and better she started to ride. We are now a year from the time when this all began and I have a happier, healthier child, who has developed the most amazing connection with a very special pony. Josie still needs my support on a daily basis, but I honestly believe that we would be a long way from where we are today if the RAC Saddle Club had not be there for us. There are many other young people they have helped in similar ways. The financial implications of the global pandemic will have a huge impact on this club and I want to do everything I can to help, which is why I am running a half marathon to raise money on 19th July 2020, exactly a year to the day that Josie first sat on Rosie. This will push me to my limits as I gave up running over 10 years ago due to joint problems and I have only just started again in the past 6 months. I hope to raise as much as I can to keep the RAC saddle club in a position to be able to continue to support the above charities and others like my daughter with mental health illness.
Please support us:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/nicky-dawson-runfortheracsaddleclub
The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) Saddle Club
The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) Saddle Club is a British Horse Society (BHS) approved Training, Riding, Exam Centre, and British Eventing Venue is situated in Bovington Camp, near Wareham, Dorset. Originally formed as a facility for RAC service personnel and their dependants, the Club’s primary object remains to provide a sporting facility to improve the efficiency of the Armed Forces. The RAC Saddle Club is an Army Centre of Equitation (ACE). These are the home base support centres affiliated to known garrison areas. They are associated with the Army Equitation Association in order to enable and facilitate wider participation in equitation activities and provide a gateway to sporting activity for the wider military community.
The Club is managed by a committee of military members and the civilian management team. As the Club is self-funding and receives no outside funding, in order to fulfil its primary objective and benefit the wider community, the Club now offers livery, tuition and riding to the local community.
Charities supported by the RAC saddle club:
- The Saddle Club is proud to support the charity Forces Children’s Trust, running experience days for its members free of charge. The charity helps children whose father or mother has fallen, or sustained life-threatening injuries, whilst serving as a member of the British Forces.
- Riding for the Disabled also visit on a weekly basis for free, using the well-schooled club horses and ponies to provide therapy, achievement and enjoyment to people with disabilities.
- Help for Heroes. Working with veterans and Monty Roberts, bringing the power of the horse to build on many life skills.
- Bovington Primary School: ‘children have been riding with you and it has been wonderful for the children to experience this. Many of the children who ride have additional needs, such as Autism, Speech and Language, Emotional Regulation or physical needs. It has been such a great experience for every one of them who have learnt so much about change, being calm, following instructions and also their own sensory needs. The children have built lovely relationships with the horses and staff and very much look forward to their sessions every week.’
